Bissell CrossWave OmniForce review: Our favorite wet-dry vacuum for those on a budget

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There are plenty of affordable wet-dry vacuums on the market, but it can be difficult to find one that cleans well or has a decent battery life. I've been testing the best wet-dry vacuums for years, over two dozen to be exact, and the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Cordless Multi-Surface Hard Floor Cleaner and Mop emerged as my budget pick for its reliable performance and easy-to-use design.

With a list price of $280, the cordless CrossWave OmniForce sits on the lower price end of the CrossWave lineup but is consistently discounted to under $200. The CrossWave OmniForce can vacuum and mop hard floors and rugs simultaneously, and also be used as a vacuum only. With two suction modes, a self-cleaning system, and a brushroll that's like a magnet for pet hair and other debris, the Crosswave Omniforce is a solid choice for budget-minded buyers.

I tested the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce for two weeks in my 1,600-square-foot home. This involved using the wet-dry vacuum to simultaneously vacuum and mop my historic hardwood and laminate floors, as well as utilizing the vacuum-only feature to clean crumbs and debris from my rugs. I also ran a number of tests with dry and wet materials so I could share the full picture of this wet-dry vacuum's battery life, cleaning capability, and required maintenance. The Bissell CrossWave OmniForce may just have you ready to hang up the best vacuum and best mop.

Our review of the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce vacuum

Design

The hard plastic materials and basic design were what I expected from a budget wet-dry vacuum — solid but not overly flashy or high-tech. In addition to the vacuum unit, Bissell also includes a charging base and two cleaning solutions.

It follows a typical construction with separate clean and dirty water tanks, with one located at the front and the other at the rear of the body, to prevent any crossover. The wet-dry vacuum’s tangle-free technology prevents hair from wrapping around the brushroll or clogging the vacuum head, making it a suitable option for pet owners as well. The vacuum head isn’t very thick, meaning it can fit under kitchen cabinets and other low toe kicks, but it doesn’t have a headlight. If LED headlights are an important feature for you, the CrossWave OmniFind is the coordinating version with LED headlights, but it lacks a vacuum-only mode and has a shorter runtime.

The handle is comfortable to hold and features four buttons: the power button, suction mode, self-cleaning button, and a button that switches between wet-dry vacuum and vacuum-only mode. The digital display features basic symbols indicating the battery life percentage, the statuses of the clean and dirty water tanks, and the modes in use. Bissell does not have any automatic dirt detection technology, so you need to toggle between the two suction settings manually.

Ease of use

At 10.56 pounds, the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce is easy to maneuver, even without self-propulsion technology. It pauses when placed in an upright position but can only lean 150 degrees before the vacuum head lifts off the ground. This means users won’t be able to reach that far under low furniture. The 10.5-inch-wide vacuum head fits in some tight spaces, though not between the toilet and the wall (none of the wet-dry vacuums I tested have been able to do that).

Noise-wise, the vacuum puts out 75 decibels, which is on the louder end. The Bissell CrossWave OmniForce’s battery life is about 30 minutes. The machine shut down completely for me at 31 minutes, despite the fact that the digital display claimed there was 7% battery life left, likely so the wet-dry vacuum could run a self-cleaning cycle immediately.

Cleaning performance

The CrossWave OmniForce did a good job picking up dry materials on rugs and hard floors in regular mode. However, Turbo mode was more ideal for larger debris and lifting tough stains, such as dried ketchup or sticky materials like syrup. When faced with large pieces of dried mud, I had to move the vacuum head slowly over those pieces so they could be picked up in Turbo mode. As for the mopping feature, there wasn’t a lot of water output, streaking, or residue left behind, with the floor drying fairly quickly.

The CrossWave OmniForce's reverse and edge cleaning is among the poorest I’ve tested. Not only does coffee and dirt get stuck behind the wheels of the vacuum head if you reverse over debris, but the wet-dry vacuum can’t clean closer than within an inch of any side of the vacuum head. This means that if you try to clean along the edges of a wall or even straight onto a wall with the vacuum head, there will be an inch-wide strip of uncleaned floor. Interestingly enough, Bissell introduced the CrossWave OmniForce Edge to address this, but it’s almost $100 more expensive.

Most wet-dry vacuums require their clean water tank to be refilled once before the battery dies, but I had to refill the clean water tank at the 14- and 28-minute marks. I had only cleaned half my house by the time the clean water tank had to be refilled the first time. The dirty water tank needed to be dumped at 18 minutes.

Maintenance and cleaning

After placing the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce on the charging station, I activated the self-cleaning system by pressing the button located on top of the handle. The wet-dry vacuum pushes clean room-temperature water through the brushroll and into the dirty water tank. Although there’s a debris catcher in the dirty water tank, without a brush (which Bissell doesn’t provide), you’ll have to use a napkin or running water to clean off wet hair and debris.

Unfortunately, the self-cleaning system isn’t as thorough as I would like it to be. I had to clean dirt and debris under the vacuum head and remove the brushroll to clean it by hand. The brushroll features longer bristles that are great at grabbing debris and pet hair; however, the self-cleaning process isn’t strong enough to remove dirt and other messes from the brushroll without an in-depth handwashing. Don’t be surprised if it takes over 24 hours for the brushroll to air dry.

Cons to consider

These days, many wet-dry vacuums have the ability to lie 180 degrees flat, allowing users to clean further under furniture. Unfortunately, once the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce leans to 150 degrees, the vacuum head lifts off the ground, which means you can’t reach that far under a couch or a bed.

The biggest drawback is the edge cleaning along the front and sides of the vacuum. No matter how you position the BissellCrossWave OmniForce when cleaning under kitchen cabinets or along the edge of a room, there will be an inch of flooring that won’t be cleaned between the front edge or sides of the vacuum. This can be frustrating, as most people don’t want the hassle of cleaning those spaces with a broom or a mop.

What are your alternatives?

I’d consider the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce the most well-rounded option across Bissell’s CrossWave lineup. The Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro was our previous budget pick, and while the corded vacuum had an unending power supply, the water output was excessive due to the need to use a trigger. Not to mention, the self-cleaning system was among the worst I’ve ever tested.There’s also the Omni variations I mentioned previously, like the Omnifind with LED headlights or the OmniForce Edge which supposedly has better edge cleaning but is much more expensive for not many other features. If you’re after something with steam output, the CrossWave HydroSteam also functions as a steam mop.

The Shark Hydrovac MessMaster cordless wet-dry vacuum is similarly priced, super lightweight, and can be used on hard floors and rugs. The battery life is slightly shorter than that of the CrossWave OmniForce, at 25 minutes, and it struggles with thicker substances like barbecue sauce and ketchup.

Heated self-cleaning and brushroll drying are becoming sought-after features that streamline the convenience of wet-dry vacuums, but they can be pricey. Roborock’s F25 GT is one of the most affordable models I’ve come across that offers this technology, especially when it’s on sale for $200. It’s core difference from the F25 model I tested and favor for those with pets, is that the more premium model has a slightly longer battery life and dirt detection features.

If you’re willing to make an investment in a more advanced wet-dry vacuum that has better edge cleaning and more suction modes, the Tineco Floor One S7 Stretch took the top spot in our wet-dry vacuum guide for its superb cleaning capabilities, like its ability to detect unseen dirt and stains and automatically adjust the suction and mopping power.

The bottom line

The Bissell CrossWave OmniForce offers a 30-minute battery life and decent cleaning capabilities, particularly in Turbo mode, making it a suitable choice for those with small to medium-sized homes. The biggest trade-off for me was poor edge cleaning and knowing there are better self-cleaning programs out there, but alas, most cost more money. Otherwise, you’ll be fairly content with the versatility of the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce wet-dry vacuum and its ability to serve as both a vacuum and a mop, allowing you to consolidate your home cleaning tools into one machine.